PAEROA-WAIHI HIGHWAY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5299, 13 July 1928, Page 3

PAEROA-WAIHI HIGHWAY.

ROAD TO BE RECONSTRUCTED. UNDERTAKING BY GOVERNMENT. Motorist* who have frequently complained about the condition of the m£lh highway this; winter between Paeroa and Waihi will in future have the Government to blame if the road is not kept up to standard. An interesting announcement to this effect was made by the chairman (Ci. H.,M. Corbett) at yesterday’s meeting of the Ohinemuri .County Council. He stated that following op a confer.cn :e between the Main Highways Board’-, officials and the County Council at Paero.a recently, the; members inspected the road and after a lengthy interview the board agreed to take over that portion- of the PokenoWaihi main highway from the Ngahina bridge, Paeroa, to the Waihi boundary ; and after, considerable di-r cussion on ,the question of mainten ante the board agreed to reconstruct the whole length, maintain it for a period of five years, and .at the end of that time to hand it back to the council in good order apd lin conformation to the new policy defined by the board relating to main highways. In consideration for, the undertaking the council was, to pay the Main Highways Board the local body’s proportion of the estimate for the maintenance; of the road for the next five years. To finalise the matter, the following resolution ,was moved by the chairman : — “That this council .agree to the oner of the Main Highways,Board with regard to the reconstruction and maim tenance of the Pokeno Waihi main highway from the Ngahina bridge to Waihi ; and that in consideration of the board taking over the control of the said; road and constructing and maintaining it in good order for a period of five year* from August 1, 1928, and at the conclusion of that period handing the road over again to the County Council in a condition satisfactory to the requirements of the Highways Board and of the present-day-traffic, the council will pay annually to the board during the peroid a sum; equal to its proportion of the. expenditure on the road as. shown, in the estimates of expenditure submitted' by the council to the Public Works' Department for the year 1928-29.” In support the chairman said that the amount the council was. committed to provided for the maintenance of the road only. No. provision had been made for reconstruction, which must necessarily be a heavy expense. The resolution was seconded by Or. Mason and carried without discuss on. It is, understood that the road is to be reconstructed and widened to approximately 14ft, except in such places as the Karangahake Gorge, whete-the-width w’H be approximately IOTt in places. The estimated cost of the annual maintenance alone is £930, which is to be handed over, each year to the Main Highways Board,